"Program mein thoda change reheneka" - Twitter explodes as Rishabh Pant opens in 2nd India vs West Indies ODI
In a surprising move, India sent wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant to open the innings alongside Rohit Sharma in the second ODI against West Indies on Wednesday.
Pant has never opened in international cricket before. He was an opener in his early domestic and IPL years, but was seen only as a middle-order option for India. In the first ODI he batted at No.4, a position he also occupied in the three-match series against South Africa last month with decent success.
The move also caught the netizens unaware, and they reacted with their opinions, apprehensions and some rib-tickling memes. The following are the best of the reactions:
Rishabh Pant before the match started today #INDvWI https://t.co/d7jefEmA4H
Rishabh pant isn’t new to opening
He was groomed as an opener during his u19 days
Ironically Dravid was his u19 Indian coach
Didn’t take long before he put pant back to that position #INDvsWI
#RishabhPant #RohithSharma
Master stroke by Rohit to open with Pant .. If it works , we are in for a sensational future Indian attacking template at the top.
Rohit sharma to West indies team
#pant #RishabhPant #RohithSharma #Rahul #INDvsWI #opening https://t.co/W7z8OukcK9
Indian Fans to this opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant 😅
#W88 #W88India #W88IndiaOfficial #INDvWI #IndianCricketTeam https://t.co/R4imkKnpAa
Whatever the reason is, LOVE the fact that Rishabh Pant is opening the batting. Hopefully he makes it count, nothing like Pant in form right from the start!😍
#INDvWI
If you are surprised then don't be! Rishabh Pant opened the innings 11 times for India in U19 ODIs between 2015 and 2016, scoring 454 runs at 41.27 with one century and four fifties. #CricketTwitter #INDvWI #TeamIndia #RishabhPant https://t.co/YE4CeGUOl6
Rishabh Pant opening in ODI cricket 😭😭
Tears in my eyes!
#IndianCricketTeam
Stop what are you doing right now..
Rishabh pant is opening for first time 🔥
@RishabhPant17 #RP17 #INDvsWI #RishabhPant https://t.co/3A3SzQc5n7
MS Dhoni watching Rohit Sharma - The Captain Promoting Rishabh Pant(Wicket Keeper Batsman) up the order
Wholesome Moment https://t.co/ZbzAQHM2zT
#RishabhPant https://t.co/jEeG2Fbloq
#INDvWI #INDvsWI
Rahul Dravid in the dressing room with Rishabh Pant teaching him how to open in International Cricket: https://t.co/cFOT7bNtjT
Rishabh Pant - The opening batsman 🧐 #INDvWI https://t.co/iFOs4jbHwA
Irrespective of whether Rishabh Pant gets out for 0 or makes a double hundred, Rahul Dravid, and implicitly, the new Team India, have already started thinking long term. This is not a bold move, it's the first step of many that RD takes while building his teams.
The last time Rishabh Pant opened in a 50-over game for India.
#INDvWI https://t.co/UhkYcnTn0n
Rishabh Pant opens #INDvWI match today.
Me who has not included him in my fantasy team https://t.co/nanOvAFQPA
Watching Rohit Sharma and Rishabh Pant bat : #INDvsWI #INDvWI https://t.co/BwsVjacynw
Rishabh pant be like-
Tera Bhai aaj opening Karega
#INDvsWI #INDvWI #WIvsIND #RohithSharma #Rohitsharma #Viratkohli #KLRahul https://t.co/WWppol9trT
Indian Team Management : 😐
#RishabhPant | #KLRahul https://t.co/onXuKTytME
Rishabh Pant Opening Guys! https://t.co/6mqtTNmiTv
Rishabh Pant is opening for team India..#INDvWI https://t.co/EEwndjvqwH
Rohit has done a Dhoni here. Taken his first punt with Pant as an ODI opener. Exactly how MSD did with him in 2013 #INDvWI
Since I see Rishabh Pant opening, my message to the new team management is https://t.co/DR2jNhi4zn
#INDvsWI
Opening Pair for today's Match.
Rohit Sharma -Ironman
Rishabh Pant - Spiderman https://t.co/6J9iVe91Il
Why is Rishabh Pant opening instead of KL Rahul?
This decision could be an attempt to accommodate KL Rahul in the Indian middle order. Rahul missed the first ODI and returned to the team for the second at the expense of young Ishan Kishan, who is also a designated opener.
Rahul averages 40 and 56.53 at No.4 and No.5 spots respectively. Over the last few years, he has been seen as a solution to India's perennial middle-order issues. Opening with Pant will allow Rahul to retain his position, while also giving the Delhi Capitals skipper his favored spot in white-ball cricket.
It could be a masterstroke or a disaster depending on how the wicketkeeper-batter fares in the new role. But it's certainly the first major punt of the Rahul Dravid-Rohit Sharma era. Pant, with his ability to be aggressive in the powerplay, could be the perfect top-order impetus that India's hitherto circumspect ODI style needs.
However, if this is indeed a long-term move and the management is planning to give Rishabh Pant a long rope as an opener, the likes of Shikhar Dhawan and Ruturaj Gaikwad could feel hard done by.